Ankara - Turkey's new parliament opened in uproar yesterday when a Muslim deputy, Ms Merve Kavakci, entered the chamber wearing a religious headscarf, which is her customary attire.
Deputies of the Democratic Left Party of the Prime Minister, Mr Bulent Ecevit, thumped their desks shouting, "Out! Out!" and waving at the young computer engineer from Istanbul. Members of her Virtue Party responded by applauding.
In officially secularist Turkey, religious attire is banned in schools, universities and public offices.
